What is a calcified uterine fibroid?

A:

Quick Answer

A calcified uterine fibroid is a benign gynecologic tumor that has outgrown its blood supply, leading to degeneration, explains the Fibroid Treatment Collective. Degeneration causes calcium deposition, which results in calcification.

Keep Learning

Uterine fibroids can be small in size or develop into large masses that occupy the entire abdominal cavity, states the Fibroid Treatment Collective. Some fibroids are comparable to the size of a woman’s womb during a full-term pregnancy. Multiple fibroids appear in the uterus in many cases. The uterine arteries often sustain the growth of fibroids.

Uterine fibroids usually affect women during their childbearing years.. Genetics and estrogen or progesterone levels are some factors considered to affect the formation of uterine fibroids.

Calcification typically happens during the menopausal stage in women, as fibroids often regress once the body’s estrogen levels decrease during menopause, says the Fibroid Treatment Collective. A calcified uterine fibroid may cause varying symptoms depending on its size and location. A woman may experience less severe pain compared to ordinary fibroids, as the calcified fibroid no longer grows. Putting pressure on the affected area can result in persistent waist pain that worsens during menstruation. It may not be necessary to treat a calcified fibroid, as it often forms during the last phase of the degenerative process.